MAYFLOWER — The damaged section of a pipeline that ruptured just over two weeks ago in Mayflower has been removed. Oil that spilled from the pipeline eventually made its way to a cove south of the main body of Lake Conway, but no oil has been found in the main body of the lake.

The pipe will be transported to an independent third-party laboratory for testing. The cause of the spill is under investigation.

Cleanup is almost complete in the affected section between North Main Road and Interstate 40. Following cleanup, the process of remediation will begin and will include restoration of the site to its previous state. Water sampling confirms the main body of Lake Conway remains oil-free. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and ExxonMobil are continuing to monitor water samples. Further assessments also show there is no oil in Palarm Creek, which is located south of Lake Conway.

At this point, just over 220 live animals have been captured during the response and transferred to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Fish in the main body of Lake Conway have not been affected.

Spring boating should include planning for emergencies

LITTLE ROCK — It may not feel much like spring, but Arkansans will soon be heading to the water for fishing, boating, skiing and other activities.

It is highly recommended to check the boat and its gear. When you head out, it is a good idea to leave a boating plan with someone on shore, said Bob Cushing, boating education coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

But emergencies do arise. Things can happen on the water and through no fault of yours. The boat’s motor can quit unexpectedly. A storm can come up quickly.

“It just makes common sense to tell someone at home or at a boat dock where you are going, when you expect to return and your cell phone number. By all means, take a cell phone along if you have one, Cushing said.

Fliers are required to file flight plans. Boaters can do the same, though it’s not required and without as much detail as needed from aviators.

The basics:

• Put it in writing. It’s more reliable than word of mouth.

• Leave a note with a person at home or a neighbor of relative if all the family is going.

• Tell where you are going and what ramp you will launch from.

• Leave a description of your vehicle with license number and the boat with its registration number.

• List the people who will be with you.

• Give your cell phone number. Sometimes in remote areas on the water, cell phones don t function. Your chances these days, however, are good that they will work — to call and to receive calls.

• Tell when you expect to return.

If you are on a canoe or kayak float outing, give the information for the starting point and ending point and for shuttle vehicles.

By leaving a boating plan, your chances improve greatly of someone being alerted if you don’t return when you expected to. With a plan, a search can begin soon after the return time passes. Without it, it could be overnight or longer before someone goes looking for you and your stranded boat.

Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1986, must take and carry proof of passing an approved AGFC boating education course in order to operate a motorboat on Arkansas’s waters.

Another suggestion from Cushing is to take a boating education class. It’s free, and classes are conducted all over the state by the Game and Fish Commission and volunteer instructors. You may know how to handle that boat efficiently and safely, but there is always something more to learn.

Check the AGFC web site, www.agfc.com, for boating education information. An option is to take the online boating education course, and there is a fee of $24.50 for this.

AGFC stocks more than 171,000 fish in Arkansas during March

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Game and Fish Commission crews stocked over 171,000 fish in Arkansas lakes and rivers during March, according to Mark Oliver, chief of the Fisheries Division. The total stocking of fish weighed more than 104,700 pounds.

LITTLE ROCK — One of the most popular habitat management strategies utilized by landowners is planting food plots. This is done primarily to enhance wildlife habitat by improving nutrition and the overall productivity of a piece of property.

In some cases, properly implemented food plots can offer up to 10 times the amount of digestible energy and proteins when implemented in conjunction with properly managed forests. By supplementing the natural vegetation that is available for deer, the effects of nutritionally stressful periods can be minimized.

The first step in developing a successful food plot is to determine the objectives of the food plot. These objectives include but are not limited to: wildlife species, time of year, and wildlife nutritional needs. This article will be aimed at meeting objectives for spring food plot plantings for white-tailed deer. These food plots will provide quality nutrition for deer from early spring throughout the summer months. As with any planting, a soil test and proper seed bed preparation should be performed. A lot of money can be wasted by not conducting these two simple but essential steps.

The second step is deciding how much to plant. There is no magical acreage an individual piece of property needs to have, but it is probably a good idea to start out with 1-5% of the total property. Over time, if the plot becomes over-utilized, more acreage can be devoted to food plot plantings. Generally, food plots planted for forage plots should be in the 2-3 acre range.

Next is deciding what to plant. Various broadleaf herbaceous plants make up a majority of a deer’s diet throughout the growing season. Iron-clay cowpeas, Quail Haven soybeans, and Roundup Ready soybeans are three types of legumes that meet this broadleaf category well that deer will find quite attractive on your property.

Iron-clay cowpeas will provide excellent forage for deer throughout summer and fall especially after the palatability of most native vegetation is decreased. These plants are also more drought tolerant than other species of legumes. Another advantage to planting these types of peas is their grazing tolerance. In areas of high deer populations, this would be an ideal plant to consider. Plant 70 pounds per acre.

Quail Haven soybeans are a re-seeding forage type soybean. These legumes are one of the most highly preferred forages of whitetail deer. The only drawback to these types of legumes is their susceptibility to grazing. It would be recommended to plant this type of legume in areas of lower deer populations or where there is ample acreage that can be devoted to planting this type of plant. Plant 40 pounds per acre.

The last type of plant is the Roundup Ready soybean. By utilizing Roundup Ready soybeans, highly nutritious plots can be kept weed free cheaper and easier. Like the Quail Haven soybean, these legumes are subject to overgrazing as well, so caution should be taken to planting these in areas of high deer densities. Plant 45 pounds per acre.

Planting dates can vary across the state from north to south, but generally these legumes can be planted from April through June. Contact your county extension agent or an AGFC private lands biologist for specific dates for your area and for other food plantings to consider.

Food plots are an excellent way of providing supplemental nutrition for white-tailed deer. However, this should be utilized as only one part of habitat management. Management strategies such as: food plots, timber management, early successional habitat management, and population management should all be used in combination to achieve optimum conditions for white-tailed deer.